The Secretary for Security said in a joint panel meeting on 21 October 2002 that while the issuing of a warrant by the court might take two to four hours, the authorisation by a senior Police officer might only take five to ten minutes. She raised this to support the necessity to give special investigative powers to the Police.

 

However, the Judicial Administrator replied to the LegCo that an application for a search warrant could be processed within half an hour in a magistrates' court. Outside office hours, police officers will visit a magistrate residing near their police station and arrange for applications for search warrants to be dealt with at his/her home.

 

To view the reply letter, please see attached.